Technical Field
The present invention relates to image processing, and in particular, it relates to methods for generating HDR (High Dynamic Range) images and apparatuses using the same.
Description of the Related Art
HDR (High Dynamic Range) images can show a greater range of luminance levels captured in real-world scenes, from direct sunlight to a faint nebula. It is often achieved by capturing and then combining different exposures of the same subject matter. Non-HDR cameras take photographs with a limited exposure range, resulting in loss of detail in saturated or dark areas. HDRM (High Dynamic Range Merging) compensates for this loss of detail by capturing multiple photographs at different exposure levels and combining them to produce a photograph representative of a broader tonal range. However, when subjects moving between images are captured at different exposure levels, a ghost effect is produced around the moving subjects. In addition, if the in-motion subjects present in the over-exposure area or the under-exposure area, which have no information, for example, all pixel values are ones or zeros, this ghost effect cannot be eliminated according to the corresponding information about the motion. Thus, methods for generating HDR images and apparatuses using the same are introduced to reduce the aforementioned drawbacks.